Taj Mahal Located At :
Agra, in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India
Other Attractions Near Taj : Agra Fort, Sikandara, Itmad
Ud Daulah's Tomb, Fatehpur Sikri
Open Between : 6 am to 7:30 pm. Closed on Fridays
Entry Fee : Indians (20 Rs), Foreigners (750 Rs)
Festival at Taj : Taj Mahotsav, celebrated between the
18th & 27th day of the month of February.
Places Around : Mathura (The Birth Place of Lord
Krishna) - 58 kms. Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary - 60 kms, Delhi (204 km).
Note : Taj is closed on Friday.
Taj - the Trademark of Love -
Taj Mahal in Agra is the most precious gift of love by a man to his beloved
wife on this earth. The credit of Taj's existence goes to the Vth Mughal
Emperor Shahjahan, who built this monument of love to fulfill the last
wishes of his wife, who before breathing her last asked her husband to build
a tomb in her memory such as the world had never seen before.
Where is Taj ?
Located on the bank of the river Yamuna, Agra is the proud owner of one of
the worlds seven wonders - Taj Mahal. The city of Taj - Agra is one of
India's most developed cities since the beginning of the 17th century when
it was the capital of India. Amidst the glorified monuments of the glorious
past, today Agra is also flanked by various industrial sectors.
The History Behind this Monument of Love -
Taj Mahal is the largest and the most valuable mausoleum, the construction
of which started on 1631 AD, after the death of Mumtaz Mahal, in the memory
of whom it was erected. It took nearly 22 years to complete this awesome
structure in white marble.
People Behind this Marble Beauty -
Constructed By : Shahjahan, the Vth Mughal emperor in
India
In the Memory of : Mumtaz Mahal ( Shahjahan's wife)
Built Of : Makrana Marble of Rajasthan
Built In : (1631 - 1652 AD)
Architect : Ustad Ahmad Lahauri
Calligrapher : Amanat Khan Shirazi
Verses on the Tomb was Designed by : Poet Ghiyasuddin
Dome Maker : Ismail Khan Afridi of Turkey Superintendent
of Masons: Muhammad Hanif
Dome Height : 187ft at the centre
Love Engraved in White Marble -
About
20,000 people were commissioned for the construction of the white wonder
which continued for 22 years. Taj Mahal is a combinations of tomb, mosque,
gardens, gateways and fountains. This priceless mausoleum is set on a raised
platform that is 6.6 meters (20 ft) high and covers an area of 93.9 sq.
meters (313 sq ft). The corner minarets are 41.1 meters (137 ft) high. The
main structure is 62 meters (186 ft) on each side.
The entire mausoleum is build in white marble and in all 28 kind of rare,
semi precious and precious stones were studded to its exquisite structure.
Materials were brought from various parts of the world to give this monument
a look, that is continuously inspiring architects, artists, art lovers,
poets, writers, philosophers, historians, etc. ever since its establishment.
The chief material was white marble and the sandstone were used to erect the
nearby other structures. The stones like Jasper, Jade, Crystal, Turquoise,
Lapis Lazuli, Sapphire, Coal & Comelian, Diamonds, etc. were implanted
to this white wonder to create a most bewildering sights, the first of its
kind to symbolize a man's love for a woman.
The well laid out garden, which surrounds the white beauty from all sides
has canals and different waterworks. The dramatically planted trees, the
organised canals, the symmetrical watercourse enhances the immaculate beauty
of the entire complex.
How to Reach Taj Mahal ?
By Air : Kheria Airport is 6 km from Agra. From the
International Airport at Delhi, Agra is 220km.
By Rail : Agra has three Railway Stations: Agra Cantt
Rly Station, Raja-ki-Mundi Rly Station, Agra Fort Rly Station, which are
linked to several parts of the country. There are several excellent train
services to Delhi such as The Shatabdi Express (2 hrs), Taj Express (2.5
hrs), Intercity Express (3 hrs).
By Road : Some important road distances from Agra are
Delhi-204km Bharatpur-57 km lucknow-369km Mathura-54km Nainital-353km,
Varanasi-605km, Khajuraho-400km. Express bus services, both AC and non-AC
are available from Delhi, Jaipur, Lucknow, Gwalior, and Jhansi.
